Fire extinguisher



June 17, 1930 P. GJMCGREGOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER v 2 sheets-sheet 1 FiledJuly 11, 1928 June 17, 1930. P. G. MaoGRr-GOR `FIRE EXTINGUISHER FiledJuly 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l i u v Patented June 17, 1930 .Unirsesraras raraar onirica PETER GRAHAM MACGnneon, or PneUANocK, Nnw Jnnsnr,Assrenon 'ro rrnnnn MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F WARE NEW'ARK, NEW JERSEY,A CRPGRATEON OF DELA- FIBE EXTINGISHER Application filed July 11,

My present invention relates to fire extinguishers and it has 4for itsobject to provide certain improvements in connection therewith relatingprincipally to a valve mechanism for 5 simultaneously controlling thepassage of compressed air or gas from a pressure chamber to a fluidchamber and the escape of the fluid from-the latter when the fluid issubjected to such pressure.

rlhe invention has for its further object to provide a valve mechanismin which the valve heads may be controlledby a single actuator whichserves toretract them simultaneously away fromy their valve seats andalsov serves when the heads yare in the closed position, to lock themagainst accidental disengagement.

To these and other ends the invention consist-s in further improvementsand arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully described, the novelfeatures being pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation oi a lire extinguisherembodying my invention; Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; Figure 3 is avertical central sectional view taken on line x-BX of Figure 2; Figure 4is a frag` mental sectional view taken on line lx-lx of Figure 2; Figurela is a detail sectional view showing in detail the lower kend of thepressure pump; Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view takenon line 5X-5X of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a vertical sectional viewv takenon line 6*--6X of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line7X-YX of Figure 5 showing the twin valves;and Figure 8 is a sectionalview taken on line 8X-8 of Figure 5, showing the filler opening and cap.Similar reference numerals in the several iigures indicate similar`parts.

The extinguisher, herein shown, includes an outer or liquid chamber 10,having its lower end connected to a suitable base 11 and itsV upper endconnected to the outer peripheral flange of a head 12 which is alsoprovided with aninnerdepending flange 13 to which 1928. Serial No.291,872.

the upper end of a pressure chamber 14 is secured, the lower end of thepressure chamber being closed, as shown, and spaced an.

jecting through the head. 12 to which it is E suitably connected to forman airtight joint.

Within the pump cylinderA 16, is arranged a reciproca-ting piston 18,adapted to be operated by a piston rod 19, guided in a cap member 20, onthe upper end of the lpump cylinder 16 and having an air inlet port 21formed therein. The outer end of the piston rod 19`r carries a suitablehandle 22. rlhe pump, herein shown, is of the single acting type, itspiston 18 being such that it permits air to pass therearound on theoutward stroke of the piston rod 19, and to be confined below the piston18 upon eXpansion of the pistonl packing 23, when the piston is moveddownwardly vwithin the pumpcylinder. A pressure tube 24 leads from thelower end of the pump cylinder 16 upwardly to the head 12,

where it communicates with an air vpocket such as a passage 25 leadingfrom an air check valve 26, of ordinary construct-ion, the inner end ofwhich opens into the pressure chamber 14. In order to permit the airvalve 26 to be readily removed so that a new one may be easilysubstituted, the head 12 is provided with a screw threaded opening 27disposed in alignment with the valve 26, and normally closed by aremovable plug 28.

Upon the head 12 is mounted a valve mechanism 29 adapted to control theflow of pressure from the air chamber 14 to the liquid chamber 10 andalso to control the escape of liquid from the latter through a nozzletube'30, of the usual flexible type suitably connected to the head 12. Afiller openingk 31, isalso formed in the head and provided with aremovable screw-threaded plug 32. This opening is enlarged at its lowerend to receive a short tube 33 which projects into the liquid chamber 10so as to form an air pocket when tne desired level of the liquid isreached to prevent the liquid from rising too high in the fluid chamberduring the filling operation.

rllhe valve mechanism 29 includes a housing 34 having a flange portion34oadapted to be suitably secured to the head l2, to form an air andliquid-tight union therewith. rihe housing 34 also includes a dependingportion 35 which projects through an opening 36 in the head l2 andcontains adjacently disposed parallel valve chambers which areinternally screw threaded as indicated at 37 and 38. lVithin the chamber37 is arranged a pressure valve head 39 and within the chamber 38 isarranged a liquid valve head 40, the former being provided with apointed end adapted to engage a similarly shaped valve seat formed in anadjustable tubular plug 4l at the lower end of the chamber 37.V Thelower end of the liquid valve is preferably flat and seats upon anannular rib 42 carried by a tubular screw threaded plug 43 adjustablyfitted in the extremity ofthe chamber 38. The valve heads 39 and 40slide within the tubular gland nuts 44 and 45 which confine suitablepacking in the upper ends of the chambers 37 and 38 and spaced anappreciable distance from the gland nuts 44 and 45, so as to form airand liquid spaces 46 and 47. The air space 46 communicates through apassage 48 with the liquid chamber 10, and leadingfrom the liquid space47 is an outlet or discharge pipe 49. This outlet pipe 49 passes aroundthe flange 13 depending from the head 12, and terminates at its point ofjuncture with the outlet nozzle 30.

An important feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of thevalve seats at the outer end of the valve chambers. These are madeadjustable in the first instance to permit their being positionedproperly in relation to the length of travel imparted to the valve headsby the actuating device. When once adjusted the valve seats arepermanently secured in position. 'lo this end the valve seats are formedon the plugs 4l and 43 which are threaded into the lower ends of thevalve chambers. lThese plugs'are preferably tubular to provide passagesleading outwardly from the center of the seats and communicating withsaid passages are pipes 5l and 52 the former of which leads from theplug 4l and connects with the chamber 14 and is provided with `a reversebend forming a trap therein. 'l`he tube 52 extending from the passage inthe p-lrf 43 reaches downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of thefluid chamber 10 and may generally be termed a pick-up tube.

The housing 34 also comprises a circular recess connecting the two valvechambers and contains the valve actuator. The outer portion of the wallof the recess is screw threaded and fitted therein is bearinfy pluO 7 CL 2D 55, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, in which .is j ournaled a camshaft 5G projecting through a stuffing box 57 and carrying at its outerend a suitable hand wheel 58 for opening and closing the valves 39 and40. The inner end of the cani shaft 56 carries a diskV 59 journaled inthe recess of the housing and having an eccentric cam slot 60 formedtherein. ln order that the valve heads 39 and 40 may be actuatedsimultaneously, they are connected together at their upper ends lby ayoke 62, which rests upon the upper ends of said heads and has an offsetportion 63 extending between the heads having lateral extensions orfingers 64 which engage in notches 65 formed in the contiguous sides ofthe heads near their upper ends. The yoke (i2 is provided at one sidewith a projection such as a pin 66 which engages the cam slot 60 so thatwhen the hand wheel 58 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed inFigure 7 the valve heads are simultaneously lifted from their respectiveseats, and counter clockwise movement will project them again intoclosed position. Since it may often be necessary to seat the valve headsagainst pressure and it is desirable to hold'them locked in closedposition lf provide the actuator with a second oamvl the operatingsurface of which engages directly upon the top of the yoke 62 atitscenter. This cam is segmental in shape and its outer end engages theinner circular wall of the cylindrical recess inthe casing to take thestrain off tie inner end of the shaft 56. rThe cam 6l is also shapedwith reference to its axis of rotation that when the valve heads areclosed its point of engagement with vthe yoke lies off center77 andeffectively serves as a lock against the retraction of the parts. f

ln order to compensate forany irregularities in manufacturing andthereby insure simultaneous seating of the valves 39 and 40, the seatsfor these valves may be properly adjusted at the time of assembling thevalve mechanism ln making suchV adjustment, the'hand wheel 58 is set inclosed position, and then the screw threaded plugs 4l and 43 are screwedinto their respective openings 37 and 38 until their valve seats engagethe heads 39 and 40. This adjustment may be easily made and whencompleted, the threadist ed plugs 4l and 43 are peiananentlyV securedinV position, as by soldering. lf during'use, one of the valve seats,should become worn slightly more than the other, the effectiveness ofthe seals between the heads 39 and 4G and their respective seats ismaintained due to the fact that the connection of the heads 39 and 40with the yo te 62 is sufficiently flex ible to permit slight relativemovement between the heads 39 and 40 so that they may be forced intointimate sealing engagement with their respective seats.V

In order to o erate the extinguisher after iilling the cham er 10 with asuitable lire extinguishing liquid pressure is supplied to the pressurecham er 14 by the pump herein shown, or it may be supplied from asuitable source, not shown, by removing the plug 28 and connecting suchsource with the valve 26. Inasmuch as the valve 26 functions as a checkvalve, insofar as the pressure chamber 14 is concerned, such pressure asis built up within the pressure chamber to the desired number of pounds,indicated by a suitable pressure gauge 68 carried by the head 12 andcommunicating with the pressure chamber 14, is effectively retainedwithin the pressure chamber by the closed pressure valve 89 until it isdesired tooperate the extinguisher. By rotating the hand wheel 58 in aclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 7, the valve heads 39 and 40are lifted from their respective seats. Upon opening them communicationbetween the pressure chamber 14 and the liquid chamber 10 is establishedby way of the pressure tube 51, tubular plug 41, airspace 46 and theport 48. At the same time the pressure chamber 14 is opened tothe liquidchamber 10, the latter is opened to the nozzle tube 30 by way of thepick-up tube 52, the tubular plug 43, the liquid space 47 and thedischarge pipe 49, whereupon, the pressure supplied to the liquid forcesit o-ut of the nozzle tube 30 by way of the pick-up tube 52 anddischarge pipe 49 as just described. In order to close the valve heads39 and 40, the hand wheelA 58 is rotated in a counter clockwisedirection, as viewed in Figure 7,. with the result that the cam 61,engages and cooperates with the yoke 62 to vforce the valve heads 39 and40 downwardly into Contact with their respective seats at or about thetime the cam 61 assumes its position shown in Figure 7. Upon seating ofthe valve heads they may be urged into intimate engagement with theirrespective seats by moving the hand wheel'S slightly further in acounter clockwise direction, as

viewed in Figure 7 in which seated or closed positions they are lockedby the cam due to its particular contour and its relation to the centerof rotation thereof as will be readily understood.

While only one form of the invention is herein shown and described,itwill be understood that various changes may be made without departingfrom the spirit ofthe invention and the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: y

1.` In av fire extinguisher of the type including pressure and liquidchambers, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of pressure fromthe pressure chamber' to the liquid chamber and for controlling the flowof liquid from the liquid chamberY and comprising a housing containing apair of connected valve chambers, a pair ofjreciprocating valve heads, ayoke plate connecting them, a rotatable cam cooperating with said yokeplate to move said heads Vto closed positions and an auxiliary camcooperating with said yoke plate to move said heads to open positions.

2. In a re extinguisher of the type including pressure and liquidchambers, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of pressure fromthe pressure chamber to the liquid chamber and for controlling the flowof liquid from the liquid-chamber and comprising a housing containing apair of connected valve chambers, a pair of reciprocating valve heads, ayoke plate connecting them, a rotatable cam cooperating with said yokeplate to move said heads lto closed positions, a pin carried by saidyoke, and a disk having a cam slot therein adapted to receive one end ofsaid pin and cooperating therewith to move said heads to open positions.

3. In a tire extinguisher of the type including pressure and liquidchambers, a valve mechanism for controlling the iow of pressure from thepressure chamber to the liquid chamber and for controlling the How ofliquid from the liquid chamber and comprising a housing containing apair of connected valve chambers, valve heads therein connected forsimultaneous movement, a rotatable cam operating to move the valve headsto closed positions, adjustable tubular members disposed in alinementwith said heads `and provided with valve seats for said heads, a

pressure pipe leading from said pressure.

chamber to one of said adjustable tubular members, and a pick-up tubeleading from the interior of said liquid chamber to the other of saidadjustable tubular members.

4. In a lire extinguisher of the type including pressure and liquidchambers, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of pressure fromthe pressure chamber to the liquid chamber andfor cont-rolling the flowof liquid from the liquid chamber and comprising a housing having a pairof valve chambers serving as air and liquid spaces respectively,

a pair of connected valve heads arranged for simultaneous movementwithin said chambers, a rotatable cam cooperating with said heads tomove them to closed positions, tubular members disposed in alinementtherewith forming valve seats, a pressure pipe for establishingcommunication between said pressure chamber and said air space throughone of said tubular members, a pick-up tubeV for establishingcommunication between said liquid chamber and said liquid space t-hroughthe other of said tubular members, and a discharge pipe leading fromsaid liquid space to the exterior of said liquid chamber.

5. ln a fire extinguisher of the type including pressure and liquidchambers, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of pressure fromthe pressure chamber to the liquid chamber andlor controlling the flowet liquid from the liquid chamber and comprising a housing containing apair of connected valve chambers, a pair ot reciprocating valve headshaving notches formed therein, a yoke interlocking with said notches anda rotatable cam cooperating with said yoke for moving said valveslongitudinally in the valve chambers. f

Y 6. In a tire extinguisher of the type including pressure andliquid'chambers, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow et pressurefrom the pressure chamber to the liquid chamber and for controlling theflow ot liquid from the liquid chamber and comprising a housingcontaining a pair of connected valve chambers, a pair oireciprocatingvalve heads having notches formed therein, a yoke interlocking with saidnotches, a rot-atable cam cooperating with said yoke for moving saidvalves longitudinally in the valve chambers, and an auxiliary camcooperating with said yoke to lift said valves out of engagement withtheir respective seats.

7 In a lire extinguisher or" the type includ- V ing pressure and liquidchambers, a valve mechanism for controlling' the flow oit pressure fromthe pressure chamber to the liquid chamber and for controlling the ilowof liquid from the liquid chamber and comprising ahousing containingvalve chambers a cam recess, a pair of valve heads in the valve chambersprojecting into saidcam recess, packing material surrounding said valvesatone end of the valve chambers, gland nuts confining said packing,adjustable tubular members Ydisposed in alinement with said heads andprovided with valve seats, said tubular members forming with said glandnuts air and liquid spaces'in the valve cham-V bers respectively, theformer of which is in communication with said liquid chamber and thelatter in communication with the exterior of said liquid chamber, apressure pipe leading from the pressure chamber to said air spacethrough one of said tubular members, a pick-up tube for establishingcommunication between the liquid chamber and the liquid space throughthe other of said tubular members and a rotatable cam disposed withinthe camv recess and adapted to cooperate with the valve heads to movethem into engagement with their respective seats.

8. In a fire extinguisher of the type iiicluding pressure and liquidchambers, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of pressure fromthe pressure chamber to the liquid chamber and for controlling the flowof liquid from the liquid chamber and comprising a housing containingvalve chambers and a cam recess, a pair oiC valve heads in the valvechambers projecting into said cam recess, packing material surroundingsaid valves at one end of the valve chambers, gland nuts conning saidpacking, adjustable tubular members disposed in alinement with saidheads and provided with valve seats, said tubular members forming withsaid gland nuts air and liquid spaces in the valve chambersrespectively, the former of which is in valve heads to move them intoengagement with their respective seats, an outlet pipe leading from saidliquid space to the exterior of said liquid chamber, and an auxiliarycam adapted to cooperate with said valve heads for lit-ting them out otengagement with their respective seats.

9. In a valve mechanism for lire extin-` guishers, a housing comprisingadjacent parallel chambers open at one end and having seats at the otherend, valve heads cooperating with the seats and. extending out of thechambers, a yoke resting upon the valve heads attached thereto andprovided with a laterally extending projection, an oscillatory 4operating member comprising a cam coop-v erating Vwith the projection tomove the valve heads relatively to their seats and a locking portionbearing against the yoke when the heads are in engagement with theirseats.

l0. In a valve mechanism for tire extinguishers, a housing having acircular recess and parallel chambers leading outwardly therefrom andhaving valve seats at their out.- er ends, valve heads cooperating withthe latter and extending into the recess, a -yoke resting upon the headsand connected thereto, and a disc journaled in the recess andcooperating with the yoke to move the valve heads toward and from theirseats.

1l. In a valve mechanism for fire extinguishers, a housing having acircular recess tdnd parallel chambers leading outwardly therefrom andhaving valve seats at their outn er ends, valve heads cooperating withthe latter and extending into the recess, and a yoke restinoupon theheads and connected there-Y to and provided with a lateral projection,of a disc journaled in the recess at one side of the yoke andprovided-with a camslot cooperating with said projection. i'

l2. In a valve mechanism for fire extinguishers, a housing having acircular recess and parallel chambers leading outwardly therefrom andhaving valve seats at their outer ends, valve heads cooperating with thelatter extending into' the recess and provided with notches in theirContiguous edges, a yoke in the recess extending over the ends of saidPETER GRAHAM MAGGREGOR.

